Sources of the Synoptic Gospels Part 5

(Mk vii, 24-30; Mt xv, 21-28)

Matthew omits Mark's statement that Jesus was not able to be hid. It may have seemed to him an unworthy limitation of the power of Jesus. Mark also recounts a clever answer of the woman, "The dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs"; and Jesus, for the cleverness of her reply, as he says, grants her wish. It is not strange that Matthew replaces this by Jesus' words, "Great is thy faith."

THE FEEDING OF THE FOUR THOUSAND

(Mk viii, 1-10; Mt xv, 32-39)

Matthew follows Mark closely. He seems in vss. 37 and 38 to be quoting from his own account of the previous feeding. This item brings out a tendency of Matthew to repeat in one place phrases which he has used in another.

THE DEMAND FOR A SIGN

(Mk viii, 11-13; Mt xii, 38-39; Mt xvi, 1-4; Lk xi, 29; xii, 54-56)

Doublets in both Matthew and Luke indicate the presence of this section in both Mark and Q.[36]

THE SAYING ABOUT YEAST

(Mk viii, 14-21; Mt xvi, 5-12)

Matthew omits the rebuke to the disciples in Mark (viii, 17, 18). He apparently manufactures a saying of Jesus in his vs. 11, in order to introduce therewith his own editorial statement of vs. 12.

THE CONFESSION OF PETER AND THE FIRST PREDICTION OF SUFFERINGS

(Mk viii, 27-33; Mt xvi, 13-23; Lk ix, 18-22)

Matthew spoils the question of Jesus by obtruding his own estimate of him in the words "The son of man" in vs. 13. Upon Peter's answer, he adds Jesus' words of commendation, and makes Jesus reciprocate by telling Peter who he (Peter) is, and that the church shall be founded upon him. The addition may be later than Matthew. If not, it betrays the ecclesiastical interest, and especially the interest in the primacy of Peter, which comes out elsewhere in Matthew. Matthew and Luke correct Mark's statement, "after three days he shall rise again," to "on the third day," so making the prediction agree more accurately with the facts, and giving a Greek method of reckoning instead of the Hebrew. It is not surprising that Luke omits the rebuke to Peter; Matthew's inclusion of it seems strange. Both omit Mark's statement that "Jesus spoke the word openly," because, as Hawkins suggests,[37] if this meant that he spoke to the crowd, it is contradicted by Mark's vs. 34; if it meant that he told them clearly about the resurrection, it would seem strange that the disciples did not understand.

THE DEMANDS OF DISCIPLEs.h.i.+P

(Mk viii, 34-ix, 1; Mt xvi, 24-28; Lk ix, 23-27)

Mark's redundant expression ?p?s? ???????e?? is corrected by each of the others, in a different way. The phrase ?a? t?? e?a??e???? in Mark's vs. 35 sounds like a later addition; it would hardly have been omitted by Matthew and Luke if it had stood in their source. Matthew makes Jesus say that "the son of man is about to come"; Mark and Luke say "when the son of man comes"; Matthew betrays his own att.i.tude, or the att.i.tude of his time, to the long-expected parousia. Mark's extremely awkward order of words, t??e?

?de t?? ?st???t??,[38] each of the other evangelists corrects in his own way.

THE TRANSFIGURATION

(Mk ix, 2-8; Mt xvii, 1-8; Lk ix, 28-36)

Mark says "he was changed in form" (eta??f???), which Luke improves to "the appearance of his countenance was different" (t? e?d?? t?? p??s?p??

a?t?? ?te???). Both Matthew and Luke change Mark's "Elias and Moses" to the chronological order. Luke adds that these spoke of the approaching entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, and adduces, as an excuse for the disciples' not understanding, or for Peter's apparently foolish remark, that they were heavy with sleep. Matthew and Luke change Mark's Aramaic ?ae? into Greek words, Luke using the ?p?st?ta which is peculiar to him.

THE DISCUSSION ABOUT ELIJAH

(Mk ix, 9-13; Mt xvii, 9-13)

Mark says Elias has come (in the person of John the Baptist), and they have done whatever they would with him, "as it was written of him."

Matthew understands, rightly, that this last is a reference to the Old Testament, and not knowing where or what had there been written of the Baptist, omits it. Perhaps the statement is a later addition to Mark.

THE HEALING OF THE EPILEPTIC BOY

(Mk ix, 14-29; Mt xvii, 14-21; Lk ix, 37-43_a_)

Mark says that when the crowd saw Jesus they were amazed. This might seem to be a parallel to the amazement of the Israelites on seeing Moses'

countenance when he came down from the mount. But Matthew and Luke have omitted it. They also omit Jesus' direct address to the demon,[39] and Jesus' statement, "This kind cometh not out except with prayer." This may reflect the custom in ecclesiastical exorcisms, and may have been added by a later hand, or omitted by Matthew and Luke because as matter of fact Jesus had not prayed and therefore the saying did not fit the case.

THE SECOND PREDICTION OF SUFFERINGS

(Mk ix, 30-32; Mt xvii, 22-23; Lk ix, 43_b_-45)

In the second prediction of sufferings Matthew and Luke both avoid Mark's ??? ??e?e? ??a t?? ???? (Mk ix, 30). It seems to be a part of Mark's _Geheimnis-Theorie_; but since Matthew and Luke both include some of Mark's other references to this theory, this fact is not a sufficient explanation of its omission, which may perhaps be attributed to the growing reverence for Jesus. Luke's vs. 44_a_, ??s?e ?e?? e?? t? ?ta ???

t??? ?????? t??t???, is without parallel in Mark (or Matthew). Luke has also omitted a part of Mark's prediction, "and they shall kill him," which he would hardly have done if he were here following Mark, or if the clause had stood in his copy of Mark. These facts may be taken to indicate that Luke is here following another source. The words quoted from vs. 44_a_ would be very unlikely to be added by Luke himself.[40] Matthew seems to follow Mark, making his customary abbreviation and changing Mark's "after three days" to "on the third day." In another instance already noticed both Matthew and Luke make the same change in Mark's statement. Luke may here be following Q. But the absence of any agreements between him and Matthew as against Mark would rather indicate his use of a peculiar source. There are no doublets to substantiate the supposition of the use of Q.

THE STRIFE ABOUT RANK

(Mk ix, 33-37; Mt xviii, 1-5; Lk ix, 46-48)

The section on the strife about rank probably stood in both Mark and Q, but the resemblances are too general for one to draw definite conclusions as to the exact source relations.h.i.+p.

MINOR Pa.s.sAGES

It will be sufficient if we look with less detail thru a few more pa.s.sages of the triple tradition, to note the changes made by Matthew and Luke in the text of Mark.

In the case of the unknown exorcist (Mk ix, 38-41; Lk ix, 49-50) Luke says "he followed not with us" instead of "he followed not us"; the a.s.sumption of authority upon the part of John is thereby lessened.

In the saying about offenses (Mk ix, 42-48; Mt xviii, 6-9; Lk xvii, 1-2) Matthew has combined Mark's saying about the hand and his separate saying about the foot, into one. The saying stood in Mark and Q. In the discussion about marriage and divorce (Mk x, 11-12; Mt v, 31-32; Lk xvi, 18; xix, 9) Matthew has rearranged the order of Mark, and has added "except for adultery," as he has done in another place; he has omitted Mark's reference to the woman divorcing her husband, as this would mean nothing to his Palestinian readers.

In the blessing of the children (Mk x, 13-16; Mt xix, 13-15; Lk xviii, 15-17) Matthew and Luke omit Mark's statement that Jesus was angry.

In the saying concerning the danger of riches (Mk x, 17-31; Mt xix, 16-30; Lk xviii, 18-30) Mark makes Jesus say, "Why callest thou me good?" Matthew changes this to "Why askest thou me concerning that which is good?" tho his following words, "There is One who is good," betray the fact that he had Mark's reading before him. Matthew shows his Jewish affinities by making Jesus say that the questioner may "enter into life," by keeping the commandments. Both Matthew and Luke omit one commandment which Mark quotes, because it is not found in the Decalogue. Matthew changes Mark's order of the commandments to agree with the Old Testament. Matthew, having called the questioner a youth, omits from his reply to Jesus the words, "from my youth up." Both omit Mark's vs. 24, which is practically a duplicate of the previous verse. Luke, having included the idea of "sisters" in his word for family, omits sisters, but, with his characteristic interest in women, adds "wife."

In the third prediction of sufferings (Mk x, 32-34; Mt xx, 17-19; Lk xviii, 31-34) the agreement between Mark and Matthew is very close throughout. The only agreement of Matthew and Luke against Mark is in their subst.i.tution of e?pe? for ???e?. Both Matthew and Luke change Mark's "after three days" to "on the third day." Three words in Mark's vs. 34 are reproduced in Luke alone; ??ast?seta?, ?p??te???s??, ?pt?s??s??. Matthew has added ?a? sta???sa?.

In the request for seats in the kingdom (Mk x, 35-45; Mt xx, 20-28) Mark makes James and John ask Jesus directly; Luke omits the incident; Matthew puts the burden of the ambitious request upon the mother instead of upon the sons; tho he betrays the fact that he is remaking Mark, by making Jesus direct his reply to the men.

In the healing of Bartimaeus (Mk x, 46-52; Mt xx, 29-34; Lk xviii, 35-43) Mark says "the son of Timaeus," perhaps in explanation of the Aramaic name. Matthew specifies two men instead of one, giving no names; it has been suggested that he may have been misled by Mark's "Bartimaeus" and "the son of Timaeus," tho the Jewish affinity of Matthew's Gospel makes this unlikely. Since "the son of Timaeus" did not serve to identify the man to their readers, Matthew and Luke omit the phrase. Mark's graphic statement that the man threw off his cloak and ran to Jesus was unsuited to the dignity of the Later Gospels. Matthew and Luke again subst.i.tute the Greek ????e for Mark's ?a????. They omit his ?pa?e, which seems out of place.[41]

In the preparation for the entry into Jerusalem (Mk xi, 1-11; Mt xxi, 1-11; Lk xix, 28-38) Mark represents Jesus as telling the disciples who go after the colt, to explain that Jesus has need of him and that he will return him soon. Luke omits the latter item; Matthew changes it to mean that when the disciples have explained to the owner that Jesus needs the animal, the owner will quickly send it to Jesus. The growing reverence for Jesus easily explains the change and the omission. Matthew undoubtedly represents Jesus as riding into Jerusalem upon two beasts, the a.s.s and her foal; the strange phenomenon is explained by his attempt to harmonize the event with an Old Testament prophecy. The prophecy, however, for that matter, had only one beast in mind. Mark says Bethany (in some texts Bethany and Bethphage), Matthew Bethphage, and Luke Bethany and Bethphage; the two names in Luke, and in certain texts of Mark, are probably to be explained as the harmonizing effort of some copyist.